[Flashback continues.]

  Lina woke up, startled by the darkness that blinded her vision. She could feel her eyes physically open, but couldn't see anything. Her ears were sharp and she heard rustling in the distance. Nothing could drown out the noisy sound of her erratic heart.

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  It was all that Lina could hear. Blood rushed to her ears and she could feel her heart beating like a wild horse on an open plain. She was terrified, but realized her hands and legs could move.

  "H-hello…?" Lina stammered.

  Silence.

  Then, something grabbed her arms. Lina screamed in fear, swinging her hand in response. Immediately, it connected with skin.

  PAK!

  An abruptslap echoed in the air. Lina didn't stop there. She rose to her knees and began to beat at the person. Her fists were small, but they were fast. She kicked, hit and shoved her way past the obstacle.

  "Dove!" Kade demanded, seizing her waist before she could run.

  For a little woman like her, she sure packed a mean punch. Lina froze at his voice, her breathing heavy and hard. His hands firmly held onto her, pulling her trembling body against his. Her back connected with his chest and he let out a soft sigh.

  "It's me," Kade said, his voice low and charming.

  "O-oh." Lina didn't know what to say.

  Lina's heart skipped even faster. Her breathing was uneven. Adrenaline pumped into her system.

  "It's dark in here," Lina whimpered.

  "I blew out all the candles and lanterns, so you could sleep properly," Kade muttered. "I was right beside you."

  Lina slowly blinked. "Can you light a lantern?"

  Kade let out a chuckle. "So you can see the bruises you left on your husband?"

  Lina wriggled her fingers. Her knuckles ached from the harsh impact. Opening and closing her mouth, she struggled to find the right words.

  Kade slipped his hand over her stomach, his lips brushing on her ears. She shivered in response. He was doing wicked things to her heart.

  "It was your fault," Lina finally said. "Y-you shouldn't have scared me like that—"

  "Is it a husband's fault for sleeping beside his wife?" Kade taunted.

  "Yes. He has committed a grave offense and deserves death by beating," Lina grumbled.

  Kade loudly laughed. Lina jumped at the sound. Her heart shook like a wounded animal. Every time she heard this joyous vibration from deep in his chest, she didn't know how to react. Suddenly, he was gone.

  Lina frantically spun around, searching for him. Then, she heard the quiet sound of wood sliding open. To her surprise, the first layer of the window was pulled back. Then, moonlight poured into the room.

  Sure enough, Kade's enormous estate greeted her. She saw his familiar bedroom. The blood drained from her face.

  Lina suddenly recalled the events that had taken place. Her father's letters demanding her to go home. The maidservant from Teran who had swallowed the paper. The smoke filling the air. The commotion that took place.

  "Remember now?" Kade asked.

  Lina shivered at his icy voice. There was a definite change in his aura. His laughter and teasing had vanished.? She slowly spun around, her heart rate accelerating again. In the moonlight, Kade was terrifying.

  The pale light poured over his skin, making him seem like a ghost who crawled out of the river. He wore an eerily calm expression. Nothing seemed to faze him. Not even his frightened wife. He could see the puzzle pieced together in her head. She was recalling what happened.

  "A-are the guards alright?" Lina finally managed to ask. Seeing as she was well and alive, she hoped they'd be in the same condition.

  "I lost three of my best female warriors," Kade deadpanned. "There was an orphaned girl working to support her siblings. The next was the only child and daughter of an elderly family who is struggling without her support. The last was a single mother whose daughter is now orphaned."

  Cold water was poured onto Lina as an icy chill attacked her skin. Lina wished it literally happened, but it didn't although it felt like it had.

  Horror cast a shadow over her. Because of her, the people that these women supported had lost their breadwinners. Their means for survival.? They had lost their loved ones.

  Lina had wanted to avoid more bloodshed. Sure enough, more blood had been spilled.

  Her knees wobbled.

  Lina felt like her heart was going to be flattened with the guilt that weighed her down. She didn't know what to say or do.

  "I… I'm sorry."

  Kade slowly lifted his gaze to his wife's aghast expression. She looked at him as one would look at death. There were too many emotions running through her. Remorse. Fear. Pain. Guilt.

  Kade leaned against the window, leisurely folding his arms across his chest. This little wife of his. What was he going to do with her?

  The Emperor of Teran had sent Kade ruined goods. So, Kade captured their best soldiers, tortured them until they begged for death, then, he delivered their severed limbs back home. He kept two other soldiers alive.

  Atlan had taken Lina's virtue, captured a little girl, killed off three of Ritan's best female guards, and was now, threatening Kade.

  Kade had every right to ruin his dear little wife, who seemed to be the cause of so much misfortune.

  "Take everything," Lina finally said, her fingers clawing at her chest. "P-please, give them everything I have. My hairpins, my necklaces, my earrings, bracelets, clothes, anything they want that can be sold!"

  Ah.

  Kade let out a curt sigh. This wife of his. Even in the face of his disgruntlement, she still found a way to touch his cruel heart. He was initially going to send her bloodied clothes from yesterday night to Teran.

  A warning.

  Atlan's greatest desire was Lina. Teran's Emperor's greatest wish was Lina's return.

  Inside the villainous Prince's estate, was Teran's biggest weakness. And she was just a mere woman that slept in the Prince's bed.

  "I-if that's not enough," Lina said, her voice filled with urgency. "Then I will work. I will do everything in my power to support them. I-it's my fault they were killed protecting me, I—"

  "What could a Princess possibly work as?" Kade demanded.

  Lina's head shot up. She shrank back from her husband. He reminded her of a crouching tiger. This was a man waiting for his prey to completely give up. He was beginning to scare her. He stalked towards her.

  "Perhaps a bed warmer?" Lina boldly said.

  Kade froze. His tranquil expression became treacherous. Murder flashed in his eyes, his lips thinning.

  Lina felt goosebumps on her skin. The temperature drastically dropped. Was it not what her husband wanted to hear? Was this not the result he required?

  "What?" Lina courageously said. "You mean to corner me with guilt as if I'm some stupid little girl. One of my pieces of jewelry alone can support a normal family with three meals a day for at least two years. You mean to tell me it's not enough?"

  "Tell me, did you enjoy sleeping with Atlan?" Kade shot back.

  Kade might as well have slapped her. Lina wished he did. It'd hurt much less.

  Lina felt like a knife was stabbed through her chest. She staggered backward. She couldn't read him. Was he mad at her? Or was he mad at her existence?

  "No, of course not—"

  "Is that why he's so obsessed with you? Enough to take my little sister, enough to threaten my regime, my wife, and my people?" Kade bit out, ignoring her protests.

  Lina was offended. "You're blaming this on me?"

  Kade was aggravated. "If that's what you believe—"

  "I believe my husband is a bully," Lina spat out.

  "You—"

  "I don't understand!" Lina cried out, throwing her hands up. "What do you want out of this dispute? You insult me, on what grounds? I really didn't know what it meant for a woman and man to connect as one, I didn't mean to get your people killed, and I certainly didn't ask for the Eighth Princess to get kidnapped!"

  Kade had never heard her scream like this before. There were angry tears in her eyes. She stared at him with so much hatred, he didn't know what to say. Kade didn't know what he wanted out of this conversation.

  At first, he did. Kade wanted to punish her. For being a fool to disobey his orders. He explicitly said no one was to enter and leave this estate. She had let in a maidservant, who had attempted to drug her and drag her out of the estate. Had his guards not acted in time, then she would've been gone.

  "Your own people tried to kidnap you," Kade snarled.

  Lina was appalled. What did he say?

  "But don't worry, I covered it up, at the expense of saving your reputation in court," Kade spat out.

  Lina recalled the harsh hit to the back of her head. She didn't want to believe it was true. She didn't want to think that the kind woman who tirelessly traveled with her from Teran to Ritan would do such a thing.

  Judging from Kade's venomous expression, it was true.

  "Had you listened to me, no one would've died," Kade seethed.

  Death didn't matter to Kade. The danger threatening his wife did.

  Kade had entrusted his wife to the best people he could find. Had she obeyed the orders of a husband, there would be no lives lost. It was only because Lina let in the maidservant that there was such a tragedy tonight.

  Because she had revealed her location, because she had let someone in that knocked her unconscious, a storm had raged with fatal consequences.

  "Had you not disobeyed me, there wouldn't have been four deaths," Kade emphasized.

  Lina comprehended his words and the horrific reality quickly became clear. The maidservant from Teran was killed.

  Kade didn't give her a chance to respond. He stormed out of the room, loudly slamming the doors shut behind him. The force rattled the walls and shook Lina.

  Lina's knees gave out from underneath her. She didn't even have enough time to grieve. Soldiers swarmed into the room, in familiar emblems. Kade's people. And they didn't look at her kindly, either.